U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson speaks with a group of people at Middletown Nature Trailside Reserve on Friday. The crew of about 30 is working to remove trees damaged by the fire and are employed using grant funds from the U.S. Department of Labor. The grant was provided to the California Human Development, Farmworker Services and Workforce Development division after the Valley Fire to hire 350 people for public works jobs to assist Lake County in clean up and recovery efforts. Each participant working in this program lost homes and or their job due to the Valley Fire. – Berenice Quirino — Lake County Publishing
